Dusk, Dawn, Twilight
by Ayla2hunter
Summary: Orphaned at five, sibling-less by eleven, things can't get much worse for seventeen year old Kerria Taylor. She thinks things are beginning to look up when her Aunt Stella finally adopts her and brings her to Forks, Washington, but they go from bad to horrible as ghosts from her pasts and the man that has haunted her dreams since that fateful night, step out from the shadows
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:: This is not a romance, this simply revolves around and in the world of Twilight, The main players in my OC's life are James and Jasper. That being said this is the first thing I have ever completed, I wrote this about 5 years ago, started this when I was about 16 and the following spring I finished it. This has gotten lots of attention on the other sites I am on and decided to share it with the world of . The only characters that own are my OC and her family and the people of the orphanage, all others belong to Stepenie Meyer. Enjoy!**

He sat out side on the chilly evening sticking to the shadows. He had followed the woman home and was waiting for the opportune moment. The woman had gone inside and a young girl came out. He had heard children playing on the second floor and guessed it was the baby sitter that had just left. When the girl was gone he made his move...

I heard the door shut and the sound of my mamma's voice talking to Kaylee the sitter. "Hi mamma!" I yelled down from the nursery. I heard the door open and shut and Kaylee was gone. Mamma came up stairs to check up on us. Then she gave me a hug, and kissed baby Pat on the head.

"I will be down stairs fixing dinner, alright?" she asked.

"Yes mamma" I said.

I don't know how long it was but then I heard the sound of something sizzling in a pan. The smell of stir fry came up the steps. It made my mouth water, stir fry was my favorite food. Lights flashed on the window and I heard a car pull in the drive way, the slamming door and then the front door opened.

"Hey! I'm home!" Daddy yelled. I made a frowny face; we're not supposed to yell in the house, daddy should know that.

I heard him walk into the kitchen. Then something weird happened, there was the sound of something hitting the wall, daddy yelling, then silence. Curious I went down the stairs after telling baby Pat to stay there. I turned the corner into the kitchen and saw mommy sleeping on the floor in the corner, a table chair was broken, over by the sink. In the middle of the room was a man, he was leaning over daddy. The man was biting him.

I got brave and yelled "You're not supposed to bite people!" The man looked up; it looked like he got into some of the strawberry jelly mamma keeps in the fridge for snacks. It was smeared all over his mouth. He looked at me and smiled, his eyes were a bright red. Something made me want to get out of there so I turned and rund back up stairs.

I grabbed baby Pat and hid in the closet. I squished back as far as I could go, keeping the jackets in front of me. There was a crack in the door so I peaked through. He was in the room. Then baby Pat giggled, I think he thought it was a game. The man looked at the closet he slowly walked toward the door, then…BAM! The man ripped the doors right off the wall! He started moving the things in the closet around and sniffing like a dog.

"Come out, come out where ever you are," he said "I'm not going to hurt you little girl, I just want to play." Baby Pat giggled again. The man's head snapped right towards us. I sneeked over to the other side of the closet hoping he wouldn't notice.

Then I remembered the hole in the wall that went from the closet to the bathroom cupboards. I crawled through and into the bathroom, then I rund as fast as my feet could go, out my house and down the driveway.

I remembered what Detective Helen said in kindergarten and rund to the nearest house. I went down the street and found a house with lights still on. Going up the steps really fast I banged on the door. An old lady came to the door.

"What can I do for you young lady?" she asked. I recognized her as Melanie's nanny. I think she saw I was scared so she brought me in. I sat on the couch, still holding baby Pat.

"Where are your parents? Why do you have a baby?"

"T-t-t-t-this m-man came in my house. He was biting daddy; mamma was sleeping in the corner. The man had jelly all over his face. He was a bad man… I told him not to bite, but he just smiled. Then he chased me, but I was smarter and got here" I said taking a deep breath. The woman reached for the phone and called somebody.

There was a knock on the door. The old lady went to see who it was. I scooted off the couch and looked out the window, it was the man, and he still had jelly on his face.

"Don't open the door! It's him!" I yelled at her, she looked at me confused then opened the door. He stepped though the doorway, grabbed the old lady's head and twisted it.

My eyes got really big then and I backed up. He looked at me and smiled "Daddy's home" he started to walk towards me. Then I heard sirens and the sound of police cars coming. The man stopped and said "I'll find you" then turned and left. The police came in and one of them came up to me and gave me a blanket. Detective Helen walked up to me and asked me questions. When they found out this wasn't my home they went up the street and found it…

I jerked awake in a cold sweat, "It's just you getting nervous, calm down" I said into the darkness. I looked over at the alarm clock beside the bed, I groaned, it was almost seven a.m. on a Saturday. There was no way I was going to be able to get back to sleep after that dream. _Might as well get ready for work…_I got up, put my jumper and utility belt on, pulled my dark hair back, tied it and stepped out into the chilly spring air.

I arrived at work, and began my day of moving canisters and crates. The day passed in a blur from the robotic motions of my job. Periodically my mind kept wandering back to the memory dream from last night. If somebody asked me what the people around me had been talking about I wouldn't have been able to answer even that.

Walking back from the factory around two that afternoon, an expensive looking car pulled up. A woman in her late twenties, early thirties sitting in the front rolled down the window "Do you happen to know where Stanley Wods Orphanage is?"

"Uh… yeah, up that way. Biggest building on the street. You can't miss it." I pointed down the road I was about to go down.

"Thanks" she drove off. I continued to walk home, if that's what it could be called.

I'm an orphan; my parents died eleven, soon to be twelve, years ago a week after my fifth birthday. I went from foster home to foster home, eventually I ended up at an orphanage, but every summer I'm allowed to stay with my aunt in Forks for a month. Some might think it was strange going to the wettest place on the west coast for summer, but personally I love it. I love the smell of damp earth and the sound of rain against the window.

I had a younger brother, his name was Pat. He was too young to remember our parents, and would never leave my side. I can, vaguely remember, my mother had strawberry blond hair and heart shaped lips. She had a smile that could light up my day. My father was dark haired, and always playful. He used to take us to the park every Friday after he got home.

My brother never had to know them and as a result never had to mourn them.

My brother and I were able to stay together for a while, which isn't all that common; until he got adopted eight years ago, shortly after we landed in the orphanage. Apparently the parents only wanted to take him, I was too old. Two years after he had been adopted, I received a letter saying my brother had died in a car crash; it was the same day my parents had been murdered, some years ago. I'll never forget what happened that night.

I was pulled out of my reverie when an old looking mini-mansion with a sagging side porch came to my view. I picked up my pace and tromped up the steps. Opening the door, six small hands grabbed for me. The other children at the orphanage were fairly young ranging between eleven and four. I, being sixteen-soon to be seventeen-am the oldest among the group, and so far the longest stayed resident of Stanley Wods Orphanage.

Mindlessly picking up the nearest child, I wadded through the sea of kids running around in weekend antics, down the hall to the main entrance, where couples come to sign up to adopt a child.

The orphanage has three parts: the main area-front entrance-with a waiting room like area, front desk, bathrooms, and a few rooms for the kids. The second part was the entertainment area, kitchen and dining room, bathrooms and library.

In the third part there are the living quarters for kids along with a small kitchen for quick snacks, and two bathrooms. On the first floor there are only two rooms each big enough for two people. The coordinator of the orphanage or the warden or headmaster, or what ever you want to call him stays in one; I get the other to myself, unless we get a baby in, then it bunks with me, between the two rooms is a bathroom.

On the second floor there are four rooms and one bathroom. In the main building there are three more rooms but those are really only for if we run out of room here.

There are usually three or four kids to a room. Each bedroom contains enough comfortable space for two bunk beds, a dresser for each child, maybe a desk, and a closet. Right now there are around seventeen kids living here, including me. So that puts four kids around the same age in each room up stairs.

Most of the time the kids stay in the entertainment area-during the day if they don't go to school-where there are a few TVs with playstations and D.V.D. players hooked up. There are some couches and chairs, along with a foosball table and ping pong table for the older kids. In the corner there are boxes of toy cars and Barbie dolls for the younger ones.

"Hey Val. Anything new?" I asked walking up to the desk. Val was the receptionist here.

"No nothing, but your aunt's birthday present came in for you, Happy seventeenth birthday, kid" She handed over the brown wrapped package. Going through the door behind the receptionist desk into the living area and rooms, the kids were still following me. Sometimes it's almost creepy how some of them tail me. I sat down at the old table in the small crowded kitchen; the kids all sat down watching me.

"Donovan, would you like to open it?" I asked, looking down at the four year old in my lap. He smiled big and he bugs his little eyes while nodding his head yes. I handed him the package and he ripped it open.

" 's jus a book" He said in a small voice. I glanced down at the cover and familiarity rang off it but the memory eluded me momentarily. It was one I had been looking at when I was in Port Angeles last summer. My aunt and I had gone shopping and stepped into a second hand book store, she was always looking for new steamy romance novels. This particular book was about the Quileute legends, a Native American tribe that lived on a reservation near Forks. The cover was what caught my eye; it was a simple, leather bound book with the title embossed in gold on the spine and front. The simplicity of it was what had intrigued me.

"Can you read us some?" Lilly, a nine year old said. That got the whole lot of them going and they wouldn't take no for an answer. I opened it to the table of contents looking for the shortest story in the book. I flipped to the indicated page and began to read aloud. And thus began a story time that ate up the rest of my afternoon.

A few hours after dinner, Hastings, the coordinator, called everyone except me into the dining room area. Hastings came in and got me from my room after he had all the others settled in. We walked through the door into darkness. The lights flicked on.

"Surprise!" Everyone yelled. It wasn't much of a surprise, they did it every year, but the kids loved it so I had to at least pretend I didn't know it was coming.

I noticed my aunt sitting off to my right. In front of me on the table was a chocolate cake with simple vanilla frosting and seventeen rainbow colored candles, the lights dimmed, the candles lit; the song was sung. I blew out the candles and everyone cheered. The kids gave gifts, either things they found or things they made. Hastings had taken some of the older few out to buy gifts. I unwrapped each one carefully and gave each of them a big hug. When the kids had their cake my aunt finally approached me.

"That book was only part of your gift. I could have sent them both in the mail, but I wanted to give this to you in person." She put one hand on my shoulder and reached inside her bag with another. She pulled out an envelope and handed it to me. I opened it and noticed they were legal documents. Frowning, I opened it more and read it through. My eyes became big, and I looked up at my aunt in disbelief.

She smiled happily and said "I know its long overdue and I probably should have done it sooner but things just weren't right for me to do it but….Now I am your legal guardian, you get to live with me in Forks!"

Squealing I hugged her "Thank you soooo much!" Backing off her I asked "When am I moving in?"

"Thought that might come up, I was thinking you could finish out the year here since there is only three weeks or something left of this year and start school in Forks in the fall, so sometime during the summer"

"That would be great!" I was so excited to see my friends in Forks again, Angela especially, along with everybody else, they were among my only friends. I had two here but we never really hung out after school because of the strict rules at the orphanage.


	2. Chapter 2

The week after my birthday I made a visit to both my parents' grave and brother's. The other weeks went by in a rush and soon I was packing my one suit case in the trunk of my aunt's car along with the laptop I managed to buy from saving money from work, and any other possessions I had.

Leaving around ten we hopped into the car and pulled out of the small parking lot. All the kids stood around Hastings and waved good bye. My aunt pulled out on to the busy main street connecting Camano Island to the town, away from the place that had been my home for the last eight years.

We drove out of Stanwood, a little town off I-5, to the Edmonds-Kingston ferry terminal. While on the ferry I began reading the book I received from my aunt. It was interesting. Cold ones, the first wife. We took the 101 off of Kingston, north and followed it. We stopped in Port Angeles for lunch. Then it was straight to Forks, still following 101. The route we had taken was quicker then going down and around the Puget Sound then up the Olympic peninsula to Forks. Over all it took around four hours to get to the Forks City Line.

The trees began to get greener and closer together, crowding against the road as we skirted the Olympic National Park. The closer we got to Forks the wetter the world seemed to become. Going down the road, ten miles per hour over the speed limit, "The City of Forks, Welcome" flashed in my peripheral vision.

Out of nowhere lights began flashing, and a siren flared to life, my aunt glanced in the rear view mirror, slowed down and flicked on her right blinker. She pulled over to the side of the road, onto the shoulder. I sighed and pulled out the book and started to read from where I left off.

The officer pulled up behind us, got out of their cruiser and began to walk up. The person tapped on the window, my aunt rolled it down and the officer leaned over and looked in the cab.

"Stella do you know how fast you were going?" He smiled.

"Eighty." she said.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" He asked it was starting to turn into a casual conversation.

"Home, before it gets too late" Aunt Stella said leaning back "I'm bringing Kerria home for good; I'm now her legal guardian." she was beaming.

The police officer leaned in the window and looked at me, "Kerria? I didn't recognize you; your hair has gotten so long."

At the mention of my name I looked up. A smile graced my face.

"Hey Charlie! How are ya?" I asked the familiar man who had been like a father to me.

"Good, though, I found out that Renee is getting married soon" His face lowered.

"Hey, cheer up you'll find someone." I said trying to lift his spirits.

"Well hunn, we should get going." Aunt Stella said.

"I'm gonna let this one slide for now but you better watch it next time." Charlie said backing off the car. "Why don't you and Kerria come over for dinner tonight?" He asked before we left. Aunt Stella nodded her head; Charlie began to walk back to his cruiser as we drove off. We came to town not five minutes after.

We turned off Forks Ave. towards the super market entrance. Aunt Stella drove past slowing down to the restricted 25 in the neighborhood, I happened to be looking out the window and saw Tyler's van sitting in the parking lot. There was an unfamiliar car in the almost empty lot, a man with blond hair stepped out, shut the door and walked towards the super market.

The light turned red and Aunt Stella brought the car to a stop. I kept watching, someone was sitting in the front seat. I strained my eyes to see who it was. A girl, blond hair, pale skin. That was all I could make out from the angle of our car. A second car pulled up. The blond stepped out and greeted the others, a second girl and three guys.

They all looked about my age. The second girl was short with short brown hair, and pale skin. One of the guys was very buff and had a military style hair cut, and pale skin. The second was some how familiar with blond hair, and pale skin. The third stood apart from the others, dark bronze-ish colored hair and kind of lanky, and… you guessed it pale skin.

The blond girl walked up and kissed the buff guy, apparently they were together. The familiar one and the dark haired girl were holding hands.

The light switched green and Aunt Stella put the car in forward motion. At the light we turned left. Then made a right at the next intersection. We followed that road down a few blocks then made a left onto 7th Ave. We followed that around a corner on to 8th Ave. Aunt Stella pulled into the third drive way down and shut off the ignition.

"We're home!" she exclaimed, looking at me.

I got out of the car and grabbed my things from the trunk. Aunt Stella was at the top of the steps unlocking the door. I made my way up and stepped through the door into the kitchen. I made for the stairs in the living room to the second floor. Once at the top of them I went through the door way to my left. Dropping my bag on the bed I laid down, exhausted.

Sitting up with a groan, I began to put my clothes into the dresser. I set my laptop up on the desk beside the door. Once all the preliminaries were finished I set about the little things. Hanging pictures from the kids on the walls, putting books into the bookshelf, things like that.

Aunt Stella called me down to go over to Charlie's.

"All ready Aunt Stella" I said coming down the stairs.

"How many times do I have to say it, call me Stella, when you say 'Aunt Stella' it makes me feel old." She shivered.

I rolled my eyes. _Stella _and I shrugged on our coats and left the house Charlie lived two blocks down, we planned to walk.

Dinner with Charlie was…interesting. Stella and I made dinner after Charlie burnt the first pan of bacon. We made chicken and wilted spinach salad.

There was little conversation unless it concerned me or it was about something random, the weather, last trip to the grocery store, taking out the garbage, last thing they watched on TV. Pretty much anything that came to mind. I didn't talk unless one of them asked me a question. After we finished I cleaned the table, and Stella and Charlie talked a little more. A while later we left.

Back home, we… Home I never believed it would happen.

When we got back Stella kicked off her shoes and coat, I did the same. We hung them up in the front closet and I headed for the bathroom. I hopped in the shower then brushed my teeth and changed into my pajamas. It was just after ten but I felt like I had been doing nothing but outdoor activity all day. Walking down stairs I said good night to Aunt Stella then it was back up to my room.

Turning on my bed side lamp I opened the book and continued to read. My mind kept going back to the five people in the parking lot. Finding I couldn't concentrate I bookmarked my spot, closed it and turned out the light. 

I dreamt for the first time in three weeks.


	3. Chapter 3

I was walking back to the orphanage from the library; _Hastings is going to be so mad _I thought _it's past nine, I was supposed to be back before eight._ I quickened my pace. The air was still and comfortable, odd for late spring. Deciding to cut through the park and take a faster route, I veered off to the left down the park walk, almost in a jog. I heard the bushes move. I came to a complete halt mid stride. _It's just your imagination, just because it's __**that**__ day doesn't mean it's __**him**__._

I continued to walk, my pace increasing to the original speed. The bushes moved again, this time in front of me. My heart pounded in my ears, my mind started to think of all the bad possibilities. _At least if I die tonight I'll be with my family. Not here all alone._

My eyesight blurred as the memories came back that night six years ago. Then the letter from today. Everyone was leaving me, first my parents then my brother. The letter had said if he had been in his booster seat properly he wouldn't have died. Was I meant to be alone forever, did God not want me to be happy? Strange that it happened this exact day too. That he, little, bright eyed Pat had to die the exact same day our parents did? For Petes sake, I'm only eleven give me a break!

The bushes stopped moving and I stared at them. Something burst out heading straight towards me. I screamed and jumped out of the way. What ever it was flew past me. I turned in the direction the thing had gone. I backed into the street light in the park and glanced around nervously, heart beating so fast it was likely someone could hear it. All my senses were on high alert, I held my breath. I could just barely make it out, the sound of feet on gravel behind me.

I whipped around and a man came to view. Blond hair, he looked more like a teenager. This man was not the killer of my parents, though his skin was pale. I got a flash of something from my past, but quickly suppressed it, and I couldn't afford to break down crying. He spoke.

"It's alright, there's nothing to be afraid of" The underlying menace in his voice was all the memory needed, it broke free _'I'm not going to hurt you little girl, I just want to play.' _My eye clouded once again. This man had to be related some how to the other. The man took a step closer I took an equaling step back keeping the same distance as before.

We were now both in the light. His blonde hair curled, and he looked as if pained. His skin was pale; his eyes looked as if he hadn't slept in days. There was something about his eyes…a dark brown, perhaps with a tint of red…'_He looked at me and smiled, and his eyes were a bright red.' _The second memory squeezed through.

My heart skipped a beat, not in the good way; I knew I was in danger. I knew if I moved he would come after me. I would have to get past him some how, the orphanage was in the direction I was facing, him.

My chest began to rise and fall as my breath quickened and adrenaline began to course through my system. Then for some reason calm came over me, I was no longer afraid of the stranger. Some where in the back of my mind I knew I should have run but my feet remained still as he strode towards me.

He stopped not an arms length away from me still looking down.

"Jasper! Don't do this! You're stronger than this!" someone shouted behind me. I didn't dare turn my back on this man- Jasper.

Then man looked up "Leave me be Carlisle." He spoke to the person behind me "I'm hungry, don't try to stop me".

I broke from my trance and stumbled backwards out of his reach. At my movement his attention moved back to me. Before I could blink I found my self on the ground. Struggling to get up but not succeeding, he had placed a hand on my stomach. I could feel cold radiating through my flimsy t-shirt. I continued to struggle, and then there was a sharp pain in my side. Immediately following, I felt a freezing hand close around my right wrist. I looked up and he was bringing it to his mouth.

Then there was pain, a fire in my blood. First in the heal of my hand, each time my heart beat it moved father and farther up my wrist. My hand was suddenly dropped and there was a loud collision. A cold hand took my wrist again. Slowly the pain came back in, down my arm into my hand. With each passing moment my vision dimmed, I became weak. There was no more pain, I couldn't hear anything,_ this must be what it's like to die_ I thought_ finally an end to my pain and loss; I will be with my parents and baby brother once again._

I gasped sitting up, the images died away upon opening my eyes. The covers fell to my waist exposing my shoulders, bare in the tank top I was wearing. My body reacted to the sudden cold it had been exposed to. I pulled the sheets and comforter back up to my shoulders and closed my eyes. Calming down I began to take in my surroundings.

Room, I was in a room. A car passed out front illuminating my room for a moment. Recognizing where I was I lay back into my pillow. I noticed the pitter patter of rain against my window. Rain, among the only things in this world that could calm me.

I stayed awake for as long as possible afraid if I slept then the images would come back. My eyes began to droop with sleep. I glanced at the clock, 2:31 a.m. giving into sleep I rolled over.

Heat, so much heat. Waking up I notice I hadn't moved since I fell asleep earlier. My joints and muscles stiff, I stretched. I moved to get up but my legs were so entwined with the bed sheets I had to untwist several times to free them.

I stood and stretched once again, dressed and went down stairs. I spent most of my morning moping around when I decided to get the visiting done. I walked around Forks until I came across Tyler's van in the bowling alley parking lot. I smiled and walked in the building. This place had been the hottest place in town when my aunt was our age. I heard the sound of a ball hitting pins then cheering when I opened the door.

I walked around the corner to see Mike, Angela, Jessica, Tyler, and Eric. Slowly I approached them. Eric turned around reaching for his drink; he saw me and yelled "Kerria! You're back!" Everyone turned around, smiled and greeted me. They let me in on the latest gossip, and everything that had happened since I left last summer.

"So how long you here for this time?" Tyler asked me.

"I'm not leaving" I said. Angela was the first to understand.

"When?" was all she asked.

"For my birthday" I replied

"What are you two gibbering about?" Eric said.

"My Aunt adopted me, she is my legal guardian, and I'm living here in Forks" I answered in full. Everybody became wide eyed and grinning. They smiled and laughed. Mike ordered some sodas for everybody in celebration. After he set the order I excused my self to go to the washroom. I collided with a waitress, who happened to be carrying a tray full of empty _glass _cups. Both of us fell. The glasses smashing on impact to the hard floor.

I reached out my hands to help break my fall. Pain erupted from the palm of my right hand, I hardly noticed it. I rolled to the side to keep the rest of my body from falling on the shards. Once out of harm I checked to see if the woman was alright. She was fine.

"Oh my god, Kerria are you alright!" Angela yelled coming towards me.

"Yeah it's just a scratch" I said shrugging it off.

"Let me see your hand" Angela reached for it "Kerria you need to go to the hospital! That is definitely not a scratch." I looked down at my hand for the first time. Blood was dripping from it. The cut went diagonal, from the bottom of my index finger to the outside of my hand. There was a piece of glass stuck in it. Since being attacked when I was eleven, any pain I felt was nothing compared to that night. The burning in my blood was the worst I had ever experienced; as a result, I didn't feel as much pain for things like others would.

Tyler and Angela got me into Tyler's van and we drove to the hospital. Eric, Mike and Jessica stayed behind to help clean up.

We came in and the nurse at the counter handed us a few forms to fill out. Angela filled in everything she could on her own then asked me all the others. With the forms filled out and handed in we waited.

It had been about fifteen minutes before we were given a room. A nurse walked in and took my temperature and said the doctor would be in shortly. True to her word the doctor came in. It was the guy from the other day, the one going into the supermarket. He was average height and size with blonde hair and pale skin that suited him. His features were hawk like in appearance. Over-all he looked rather attractive. He looked too young to be a doctor, no less than twenty-five but no more than thirty-two.

"Well what have we here?" He asked in a smooth voice.

Angela answered for me "She fell on some broken glass and cut her hand".

"I see. Let's have a look then" he replied. "I don't think I've seen you around here, are you knew?" The doctor pulled out some tweezers and gauze, then some disinfectant.

"Uh… yeah, my aunt became my legal guardian so I moved in with her this summer" I said nervously. He took my hand, a shock went through me. His hands felt as cold as they looked, frozen, the touch familiar. I jerked my hand back in reaction.

"My name is Dr. Carlisle Cullen" He said introducing himself. Mentally I gasped, _could it be? No it's not possible; there are plenty of Carlisles' out there._ The recognition must have shown on my face because he gave me a curious look.

He retook my hand and began dabbing away at it. Once most of the blood was gone he opened the bottle of disinfectant. "This might sting" He said. He poured it then wiped way the left over blood and disinfectant. Dr. Cullen then took the tweezers and pulled lose the small pieces of glass. "Well it won't need stitches" He announced.

Dr. Cullen put more disinfectant on it then placed final gauze over top and taped it in place. "There, good as new" he claimed. Before he let go he happened to look at my hand once again. "That's an interesting scar." His fingers moved over the crescent shaped scar on the heal of my hand below my thumb. He looked up at me and our eyes met.

"Dog bite" I said simply "When I was eleven, I was attacked by a dog. Its canine caught my hand and as I tried to pull away it cut like that." I spoke the cover story that I had repeated to the medics in the ambulance after I was found in the park. Who would have believed that I was attacked by a man who wanted to drink my blood? I kept eye contact with him the whole time.

Letting us leave we exited the hospital. The nurse called back to me. I turned around; she came up and asked me my number to verify that I was living with Stella. I turned back towards the entrance and ran into a brick wall. I backed off and looked up. My eyes met with black ones, familiar ones. My heart race accelerated. It was him, the man from the park, Jasper.

Wanting to get out as soon as possible I muttered an apology and went back out to Tyler's van with him waiting there.

Everything suddenly clicked.


	4. Chapter 4

The pale, cold, rock hard skin. The changing eye colours. The _blood_. The man who killed my parents. Ripping the doors off the wall. The speed. Everything clicked. It all surrounded the book. Specifically, the Cold Ones.

I felt like I was going to faint. Sitting in the seat, my hands shaking. I managed to buckle my self in. Tyler and Angela got in the front seat. We stopped off at the bowling alley and picked up Mike, Jessica, and Eric. Tyler headed straight for my house. They all insisted on coming in, but after much arguing they left. I went in side, Aunt Stella fussed over me, then I went up stairs to my computer, devoted to finding as much information on Cold Ones as possible.

I opened my laptop and brought up the search engine. I typed in Cold ones. _Cold Ones, aka vampires. _I thought. It didn't come up with much but some of it was useful, most I had already read in the Quileute Legends book. After a few hours of staring at a screen I turned it off, having found as much as I could.

I went down stairs and ate dinner then receded back up to my room to read more of the book.

My summer passed uneventful afterwards. I took extra precaution to stay out of the hospital. As it turned out I had to go back and get some vaccinations that I hadn't gotten at the orphanage last year. I came into contact with Dr. Cullen once again.

Before I knew it school was two days away. Stella and I went to Port Angeles and bought me a new book bag, some binders, just the basic stuff I would need. I was looking at the wall of different calculators when I heard Stella talking with someone. I looked up and saw a motherly woman, with brown hair, and light golden brown eyes speaking with her.

Having selected my desired calculator I went back to the cart.

"Kerria, I would like you to meet Esme, she is 's wife" Stella said as I approached. The other woman turned her gaze to me and I saw the resemblance in the skin, eyes and posture to her husband. I knew vampires existed now, and knew what the Cullens' were. Even having only met Dr. Cullen twice and now his wife proved my hypothesis. Anyone living with them was one _of_ them_. _

I said hello then went back and grabbed a few more packages of lined paper. I came back and the woman was gone.

The last two days of summer passed too quickly. I woke the first day fresh and ready to go.

I got up and dressed-having taken a shower last night- then went down stairs for some pop tarts and orange juice. Finishing up that I headed to the bathroom to brush my teeth.

When I finished I remained at the sink, starring at the reflection of my self in the mirror. I studied the way my dark hair fell past my shoulders, slightly wavy, and the way my bangs parted just off center on the left. I gazed at the deep frosty green of my wide eyes. The shape of my face, my forehead slightly wider than the square of my jaw; the full lips a soft pink.

Hastings had said I was very average but slightly exotic, but that's what he had always said. Comfort words when I had been upset or heart broken.

With a huff I left the mirror and went back down stairs. I placed on my boots and coat, then my book bag. I grabbed Stella's car keys and left the house. Since Stella had the rest of the week off, she said I could take her car, a 2000 Volvo green.

The drive wasn't that long, ten minutes, maybe more. I pulled into the parking lot, many of the student body was milling around outside waiting to be called in. I found a parking spot and turned off the ignition. I hopped out, grabbed my bag and headed towards the mass. I found Mike and Jessica and they pointed me towards Angela and Tyler.

No sooner had I said hello, had they called in the grade elevens. The entire grade eleven class made their way into the gym, and sat down. The vice principal stood spoke a few words of welcome, then let the students get up and receive their schedules.

At the back of the gym there were five tables set up; each one had their designated letters hanging off the front. Every body lined up in front of the table that contained the first letter of their last name. They were A-E, F-J, K-O, P-T, and U-Z. I headed towards the table for P-T. I gave the woman my name; she pulled out a sheet of paper with the periods, classes, teachers and room numbers printed on it. I turned and walked away, looking for the others so we could compare schedules.

Looking around I saw Jessica following Eric, towards Angela and Mike. I hurried towards them. As I was walking I happened to glance to my left, the Cullens. All five of them were standing around; it was the same five that I happened to see on my first day in Forks this year. There were the two girls and three guys. One of them, like before, seemed slightly out of place, he had coppery hair. He must have sensed I was looking because he looked straight at me, his eyes a muddy brown almost black. I glared at him slightly, but he frowned like he was frustrated. I ignored them, then and met up with the others.

"So what did you get?" Angela asked as I neared the group.

"Um…" I hesitated glancing down at my sheet for the first time, "I got Mr. Banner for homeroom and biology, then Mr. Varner for trig, Mr. Mason for English, and then it's Coach Clapp for gym, and then art with Mrs. Stevens and Latin with Mr. Mason again". I said reading off the list.

"We have English and Gym together" Angela said looking at my paper.

"Cool! Guess I'll see you then!" I spoke excitedly as the bell rang for homeroom.

Everyone began to file out of the gym towards their home rooms. I walked down the path that leads to building 5. I came to the class room and followed the other students. Taking the third lab table against the wall I set my bag next to my chair. Mr. Banner just went on about the class and how it works. Then he passed out papers to get signed by our parents or guardians.

The hour was up and we moved to the next class. Mr. Varner struck me as a by-the-book kind of teacher, like the class before he went over behavior and the curriculum, then passed out papers to get signed. English flew by and soon it was off to gym.

I had bought my gym uniform at the local store, so I didn't stand out too much. Two of the Cullens were in my class. The small girl and the brawny guy. They kept to themselves at the sidelines. Some one grabbed me by the waist lifting me up and spinning me around. I screamed and when they put me down I turned to see it was Tyler. My heart was racing.

Furious I walked up to him, "DON'T _ever _do that again!" I whispered in a deadly voice, glaring at him. Seeming taken aback by my hostility he stepped back from me and raised his hands in defense. I glanced around and saw only the Cullens looking at us. I went to the bleachers to cool off. It was a free period so we could do anything, as long as we stayed in the gym. I found Angela and we played badminton singles.

I noticed the Cullens didn't do much, as if they were afraid of breaking something, which they probably were. Coach Clapp blew his whistle to go get changed. I walked out of the girls change room and over to the door. The bell rang and we headed to the cafeteria.

Thinking ahead I had decided to pack a lunch rather than buy one knowing that most would be buying. Obviously Eric had the same idea; he was sitting at a table pulling out a warped looking PB and J sandwich from his book bag. I walked over and sat down. Eric and I talked and shortly we were joined by Mike with Jessica tailing right behind. A little after, Angela and Tyler joined us. A girl named Lauren and another girl joined us and began talking with Jessica.

Sitting at the table I looked around the lunch room. Students were buzzing with the news of their summer tails. Absentmindedly my fingers went to my scar, tracing it. I shoved the last bite of my sandwich in my mouth and followed it with some chocolate milk from the vending machine. I set the container down in front of me.

"Emmett and Alice Cullen are staring at you" Eric said looking behind me. "Don't make it too obvious if you're going to look"

"Which ones are they?" I asked.

"The buff one and the small girl are Emmett and Alice. The bronze haired one is Edward Cullen, and the two blonds are Rosalie and Jasper Hale" Eric clarified.

I waited a moment then turned and got up to dump my trash. Walking back to the table I noticed that the bronze haired one and the two blondes were deep in conversation. The other two-the ones in my gym class- were staring at me like they could lift me off the ground just by looking. Lauren had taken my seat next to Jessica so they could talk easily; I took her seat next to Eric. From this place I could see the Cullens clearly with out having to turn around.

They just sat there. The trays of food sitting in front of them untouched. Rosalie stopped talking and dumped her tray. Then went back to their table. Just before sitting down she glanced up, straight at me. I glared slightly; if they were vampires they would be able to see it.

"So what's their story?" I asked Eric.

"They moved here about two years ago. Apparently Dr. Cullen and his wife adopted them. Alice, Emmett, and Edward all go by the same last name as them. Rosalie and Jasper are twins, Mrs. Cullen's niece and nephew, I think." Eric kept glancing at them as he spoke.

Lunch ended and I headed for art. Art was in the same building as English in building three. It was a high ceiling room that echoed. There were a few counters with sinks and cupboards. There were large rolls of coloured paper, and containers of paint. The desks were two to a table and were facing the board in columns. Students trickled in behind me and began filling in the seats. I sat down and the teacher stood up to address the class.

"Don't get comfortable, you will be having a different one very shortly" The students groaned. "Don't worry I just need it so I can learn your names" she laughed.

Mrs. Stevens seemed like a cool teacher. I got a laid back kind of vibe from her. The door opened and everyone's eyes went to it. Jasper Hale stepped in.

"Mr. Hale won't you join us?" Mrs. Stevens asked him. He gave a nod and took a seat at the back. My breathing accelerated slightly and my heart rate sped up.

"Now, I want every one up" She said clapping her hands. Everyone stood and made their way to the front of the room. Mrs. Stevens began rattling off names and pointing to the corresponding seats, working her way back in each column. "Kerria Taylor" she yelled pointing to the third table back in the third column. I went to the seat and took the seat on the left. I set my bag down keeping it out of the aisle. I felt a rustle of wind on my right.

I sat up, looked over and froze.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:: Shout out to my two new followers! These next few chapters I posted today because of you!**

There sat Jasper Hale. My jaw clenched and my hands curled into fists. Jasper feeling my hostility made the first move.

"I'm Jasper" He held out his hand. I stared at it, debating whether or not to take it.

"Kerria" I said taking his hand-knowing that it would be ice cold-and looking at his face. His eyes were golden. I tried to make my face as nice as possible.

"Now class, to start I want you to draw either your hand or your foot. I just want to get an idea of the classes abilities." Mrs. Stevens passed around paper and everyone began to draw. Deciding to send Jasper a message I started to draw my right hand, scar and all.

I don't mean to brag but I was in my element. Lightly I drew a rough oval then five long ovals with more attached. I finished the outline then took my pencil and made outside of the hand darker. I then shaded it; I added the little details, the creases where the fingers and hand bends. Last I added the raised crescent shaped scar.

I wrote my name on the bottom in pen then sat back and observed the rest of the class. Out of the corner of my eye I watched Jasper. He was turned away from me working on his picture. I took out my sketch pad and finished a drawing of a toadstool I had been working on. I suddenly got an idea.

In the center of a new page I began to sketch a park lamp. I drew the out line of where the light landed and a bench next to the post. I started on legs then a torso on the edge of the light. Drawing exactly what he had been wearing that night in prefect detail. I drew darkness surrounding the lamp and his face shaded. The first time I had looked at him. I made the outline of his face very vague, you would have to look close to see it.

If he was what I was sure he was, Jasper would be able to see it with just a glance, the face, his face. I positioned it so that he would be able to see the whole thing if he happened to look at me. I sat up straight and flexed my hand. Jasper sensed my movement and instinctively looked up. I saw his eyes flash to the page, a picture of him in the park light and my hand with the scar. Surely that would bring to mind of our past experience.

I watched him study the images; his eyes flickered to me once. I noticed his hand tighten around his pencil.

"We seam to have quite an artist here" I jumped at the sound of Mrs. Stevens' voice next to me, my heart rate quickened, and Jasper having leaned in to see the pictures stiffened.

I took deep breaths and quickly calmed it. When he thought he had it under control he moved back. Not a second later the bell rang.

I tossed everything in my book bag and rushed out the door to Latin.

It passed quickly because all we did was read papers.

Last bell rang and I rushed to my aunt's car. I jammed the keys in the ignition and geared it to drive. I put my foot on the gas and took off. Just before I left the parking lot, I saw the Cullens getting into a silver Volvo. Like my aunt's but newer and the wheel wells weren't rusted.

My classes flew by until fifth period. That just seamed to drag on and on. Jasper and I set up a boundary, he stayed to his side and I stayed to mine. We did not speak.

Classes began their usual routines and as each day passed I paid more attention to the Cullens, studying them. I noticed how they were always missing on sunny days and when their eyes were black or very dark they would leave early for the weekend. Jessica told me that Dr. Cullen liked to take them on camping trips a lot.

I wondered why they hadn't mentioned them before, but looking back I remembered Jess gushing over a new boy at school, freshman year.

Alice and Emmett were hardly participating in gym probably trying to lay low.

As life settled back in to its normal orbit, Halloween became closer and closer. Jessica, Angela and I had arranged to go to Seattle for a ghost walk. We dressed in the darkest clothes we could find and hopped in Jessica's car sometime around noon.

We still had an hour to kill before the walk so we bought our tickets, and explored downtown Seattle.

Down on one of the piers there was a shop, the "Ye old curiosity shop". It had lots of different things, two flies, one in a wedding dress and one in a tux under a microscope. Eyes in jars, among some of the stranger things. They had candies and souvenirs.

Laughing at a reaction from Jessica while leaving the shop I bumped into some one. I looked up and saw a man in a high collared jacket with blonde hair walking away, _Jasper_ I immediately knew. I reached up to wipe a strand of stray hair from my face and noticed he had slipped something into my hand. I unrolled it and read:

Meet me at the restaurant around the corner in ten minutes. Come alone

I looked up, realizing I had stopped and Jess and Angela were looking at me.

"Hey guys." I said "I didn't eat before I left the house so I wouldn't get sick during the tour, but now I don't think I could go with out food. I think I'm going to stop at the little restaurant around the corner"

They offered to come with me but I refused, they had already eaten and would feel obliged to buy something if they went in. They finally backed down deciding to go to the aquarium while I ate. I walked to the restaurant. I walked in and was greeted by the hostess.

"How many will be with you tonight?"

"Um… I'm meeting someone"

"Alright they may have already come in, who is it you're waiting for?"

"Err… I'm not to sure"

"Ok well give me your name and if that person comes in then we can let them know."

"Kerria Taylor" I said to the Hostess.

"I think the man is already here, he asked me to keep an eye out for a Kerria Taylor fitting your description"

My eyebrows shot up, he told her?

"Follow me please" She lead me down the aisles to the back of the restaurant and three tables away pointed at the booth. "Right down there miss" I saw the blonde hair just coming over the top.

I strode down the aisle as the hostess walked away. I approached the table with caution. _Why would Jasper want to talk to me? Probably to ask me not to expose his family or something. But if he were going to do that then he would have done it shortly after the first day. _

I hung my coat on the hanger beside the booth and sat down. I got settled in, and then began to speak. "Jasper what ever-." I stopped mid-sentence, my gaze had shifted from the table to the figure across from me. It wasn't Jasper.

"Hello, Kerria. It's been a long time, twelve years in fact"

My heart kicked into over drive as I looked upon his face. Mostly his eyes, the eyes that had haunted my dreams since I was five.

His mouth twisted into a smirk. "Ah so you do remember" He said happily

**PLEASE R&R! :)**


	6. Chapter 6

I turned the corner into the kitchen and saw mommy sleeping on the floor in the corner, a table chair was broken, over by the sink. In the middle of the room was a man, he was leaning over daddy. The man was biting him.

I got brave and yelled "You're not supposed to bite people!" The man looked up; it looked like he got into some of the strawberry jelly mamma keeps in the fridge for snacks. It was smeared all over his mouth. He looked at me and smiled, his eyes were a bright red. Something made me want to get out of there so I turned and rund back up stairs.

The images danced in my head and everything began to seam like it was spinning. I stiffened and slowly tears came to my eyes. I did not let them come over. A lump formed in my throat, it was hard to breath. I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing. I looked at the ceiling to rid my eyes of any tears then looked straight at him.

"What do you want?" I spoke vehemently

"Oh I just thought I'd stop by and say hello." He said casually. The words were common enough.

I just glared at him. His mouth was turned up at the corners smugly, arms folded across his chest totally relaxed. He stared right back. Our eyes were locked His dark red ones with my light green ones.

The waitress approached, unaware of the hostility radiating off me.

"What would you like to order?"

He turned his head to the waitress as she was talking and looked at me. I glanced at the menu that had been in front of me as I had first sat down. I picked the first thing that I saw and blurted it out. I was only aware of what I had said moments after it left my lips.

"I'll have the stir fry"

Another memory flashed in my head

I heard the sound of something sizzling in a pan. The smell of stir fry came up the steps. It made my mouth water, stir fry was my favorite food.

I hadn't eaten stir fry since that night. I felt my self slowly beginning to fray.

The waitress scribbled down my order and walked away.

"The last time I saw you, you were only five. I didn't get a chance to introduce my self. My name is James" He held out a hand for me to shake. Hesitantly I shook it. We sat in silence until the waitress returned with my food. She set it on the table. The smell-no matter how painful it was to smell it- was heavenly. I picked up the fork and began to mix it around to cool off.

"So Kerria tell me about your self." He folded his hands together and set them on the table.

I paused and set my fork down. "Why would a murder want to know that? I'm just a human"

"Ah but we are all human, dear" He leaned back in his seat.

"Not everyone" I said pointedly "I know what you are." My voice was dark. Shock passed briefly across his face but then was replaced by humor.

"And what do you think I am exactly?" He laughed.

I slightly glared and spoke "vampire". As I finished the sentence my eyebrow twitched and went up involuntarily. James smiled and looked me in the eyes. His smile did not touch them.

"I've known for quite some time now actually" I completed.

"What made you think that?" he asked leaning on the table.

"Well the fact that you were drinking my father's blood for one is pretty much a dead give away, and the way you snapped that old lady's neck."

"Kerria" he said in a patronizing tone "You were only five; your mind could have easily-"

"Don't patronize me James. I may have only been five but I swear I remember that night like someone had filmed it and showed it to me later." I paused, when he didn't say anything I continued "I was in my room, playing with my little brother. I heard the door open and my mom come in. She came up after Kaylee left and told me she would be down stairs making dinner. I remember seeing the head lights of my fathers car flash in the window, him coming in. I remember hearing noises coming from down stairs. I remember walking into that kitchen and seeing both my parents dead, their blood on you, around your mouth." By now tears had welled in my eyes and my voice became laced with the venom of hate.

"I remember you chasing me with my little brother. We hid in the closet and got out by the hole in the wall. I took my brother and ran as fast as my five year old legs could take me. I ran to the nearest house. Then you showed up once again and killed the old lady right in front of me." A tear from each eye rolled down my cheeks. "And I remember crystal clear what you had said to me. You said 'Daddy's home'. When you heard those sirens coming, you backed off a little and the last words you said to me before you disappeared were 'I'll find you'" I paused to take a breath and calm down.

"You have no idea how much that impacted me. So don't you dare sit there and patronize me, try to pass that off as a five year old's imagination." I finished off. I sat there, my eyes slightly puffy and moist, glaring at him.

"Well… obviously I'm not welcome" He finally spoke.

"You were never welcome" I said looking down at my full plate of food.

The waitress came back to see if everything was going ok. I answered yes, when she didn't look like she believed me I reassured her, and then asked for the bill and a box for my leftovers. With a smile she said yes. I always had a way of convincing people to do things; I had always been very…persuasive. Moments later she returned with both. I paid in cash and left the restaurant.

"I came across your scent earlier. I won't bother looking for you again" He said as he brushed passed me leaving the restaurant.

I met up with Jess and Angela and we made our way to the meeting point for all ghost walkers. I was distracted the whole time by the sudden re-appearance of James the murder of my family.

I got home took a relaxing shower and got in bed. I stayed up and read the last story in the book. Content I set it down and went to bed.

The rest of the weekend I was jumpy, on edge and on Monday it hadn't stopped. I walked in the building and knew something was different. The school was abuzz with the news of something. My classes passed and lunch came. I had planned to interrogate everyone as soon as I arrived at our usual table.

"Angela, what is everyone talking about?" I asked as I came up to the table, calling out to the first person I came to.

"Oh well apparently Chief Swan's daughter is coming, her name is Isabella"

"Really? When is she going to get here?" I asked intrigued even though I was an emotional train wreck.

"Oh not until march, they're starting to plan though"

I nodded my head in response. Suddenly I felt something brush on my head. It felt like a short gust of wind. There was a noise, a humming sound, like it sounds like in a mall but the lunch room was not that loud. Images passed over my eyes, but it wasn't what I was seeing. Then I heard a musical voice.

Why can't I read her? There was a flash of my face on the first day.

Who are you? I asked and what are you doing in my head?

I felt a sudden jolt of panic and fear.

Who… who is this? The voice responded

I asked first…

Edward Cullen the voice said immediately.

I looked up and across the lunch room at the Cullens. Rosalie and Emmett were missing. Alice and Jasper were looking at Edward. Edward looked baffled.

Now who are you? He asked

Look to your left. I said

His head snapped to the left and immediately began scanning the room; I continued to look at him. His eyes settled on me.

Kerria Taylor? He asked. I gave a stiff nod.

**PLEASE R&R! :)**


	7. Chapter 7

Last bell rang and I was nervous. Edward had come up to talk to me at the end of lunch and asked me if we could meet after school. I had managed to calm my self down enough from the weekend that I wouldn't totally flip at him. I was more worried if I would yell at him than the fact that he was a vampire.

I sat on the railing outside the entrance waiting for him to come out. My aunt needed the car this week so I had to walk to school.

Listening to my ipod I felt a tap on my shoulder. I looked up from the screen to see Mike.

"Kerria, what are you doing? Don't you drive?" he asked.

"Oh yeah, my aunt had to take the car today so I'm walking"

"Well would you like a ride?"

"Uh… no thanks I was kind of hoping to walk, but thanks any way" I said with fake cheer. Looking disheartened Mike walked away to his car and I watched him pull out of the student parking lot.

"Hello, Kerria" A voice chimed behind me. I froze and then relaxed as the voice settled in. I looked and saw Edward.

"So…what did you want to talk about?" I asked

"How did you do that? The thing at lunch I mean" He sat down next to me.

I looked away and saw only the silver Volvo left. _The others must be waiting for him_ I thought.

"Is your family waiting for you?" I asked turning my head back in his direction.

"You didn't answer my question"

I rolled my eyes "Honestly, I don't know. It has only happened a few other times."

"Yes" He said. Puzzled I looked at him. "To answer your question about my family, yes. So you can't control it this thing you do"

"No, it has only happened twice before both times in the same year when I was eleven. Can you read peoples minds?"

His face scrunched up like he was pretending to laugh and he answered a little too quickly "What gave you that idea?"

"Well in the other times only I could hear their thoughts, and they couldn't hear mine"

"What happened, when it worked when you were eleven? Do you think there might be some kind of trigger?"

"Well the first was just shortly after I got a letter saying my brother had died in a car crash and I realized it was the same… Wait there is no reason I should be explaining my self to some one like _you_"

"And why not?"

"Well for one thing we're not related in anyway, I'm not even sure your human-" I caught my self before anything else came out.

"What is that supposed to mean?" He asked confusion was written on his face, but panic was in his eyes.

"Never mind, just forget I said anything" I grabbed my bag, slid off the railing and began walking away.

******* Edwards POV******

I watched as Kerria walked away after our conversation. _What did she mean by it? Could she know something? _She reached where the car was and the minds in side of it. She looked at them and from Jaspers mind there was a flash of something then he quickly covered it by thoughts of hunting this weekend. _I'll have to ask him about that later_ I thought. I walked, humanly to my Volvo and got in the drivers seat.

"So what did you talk about?" Alice asked from the passenger seat.

"I think you already know Alice" I said. She dropped the subject, and we drove home. Esme, Carlisle, Rosalie, and Emmett were out hunting so it was just us three. Alice pranced down the steps and out the door saying she was going shopping. No doubt she saw me asking Jasper questions and wanted to give us some privacy. Make that two of us in the house now.

Jasper was in the living room watching T.V. His mind was blank as I approached.

"Jasper what was that earlier?" I asked bluntly.

"I don't know what you're talking about" He said blandly.

"When you saw Kerria this afternoon, I saw-" Something flashed again but I got a better glimpse.

_Hunger. I couldn't hold it off any more. I needed blood, human blood. Not animal. Annoying bushes. Carlisle might find me soon, need to move quickly.  
There! The human walking alone. Perfect_

Then the image was gone.

"Jasper what was that?"

"Nothing" He said

I knew I wasn't going to get anything more from him. And Carlisle would be no help either. I filed the small bit of information away for safe keeping.

*******Kerria's POV******

School slowly moved on, I didn't have anymore bizarre moments. The year flashed by and now it was winter break. I had the car for the day. I pulled up to the drive way and saw an unfamiliar car in my spot. I parked the old Volvo on the curb and shut off the ignition.

I climbed the steps to the front door, almost slipping on ice. I opened the door and heard laughter from the kitchen. I walked down the little hallway and through the door to the kitchen. A woman, wearing a suit sat next to a man also in a suit sat at the table. Both of their backs to the door.

"Kerria I'm glad your home" Stella said looking at me as I walked in. "This is Detective Helen Carter and her partner Detective Pierre Manillo" Both of the suits turned around. I recognized Detective Helen from when I was little.

"Hello" I said politely.

"Kerria, we would like to ask you some questions, if you don't mind" Detective Manillo asked officially. What ever it was had to be official, or else the police department would have been here instead, that meant Charlie.

"Okay" I said.

"Could we talk to you in private?" Detective Helen said more for Stella's benefit. Aunt Stella got the hint and left the room. I sat down in her seat.

"I know this might be hard for you, but do you think you could remember what happened the night you parents died?" Detective Helen asked concerned.

I nodded my head "But why do you need me to tell it again?"

The two officials looked at each other. Detective Manillo drew in a breath then looked at her "There was a murder in Bellingham about a week ago"

**PLEASE R&R :)**


	8. Chapter 8

"It took a while to get things sorted out, but then I was assigned to the case and it was so familiar. I went back to my files and yours popped up. Then I remembered" Detective Helen said.

"Are you saying the man who killed my parents has done it again?" I asked

"Well it is the only one that is like it at all"

"What happened?" I asked solemnly.

"What we are going to tell you is confidential okay?" Manillo asked

"Yes sir" I answered.

"We think the mother had just gotten home from work when she heard screaming coming from the up stairs. She went to see what was wrong. When she got up there someone was killing her daughter" Detective Helen paused to see how I was taking it. She continued. "The neighbors said they heard the screams around that time. They came over to see what was wrong. The door was off its hinges they walked in. By then who ever it was, was gone and the family was dead. The wounds found on the bodies were very similar to the ones on your family's autopsies"

"So what does this have to do with me? I mean other than the wounds look like the ones on my mom and dad"

"The wounds were bite marks. Whoever did it must have had a strong jaw because there were no bruises on the bodies"

"So you're saying you think it's the same person because the person has a strong jaw"

"Well we needed you to hear the story so you could help us." Manillo said "Last time you explained the story you were five and terrified. We were hoping if you felt up to it you could retell it. Just to see if you can remember anything that you might have forgotten last time"

I nodded my head. "I was in my room with my brother. Mom was at work so was dad. Kaylee the babysitter was watching us. Mom came home and Kaylee left. Mom came up stairs to say hi then went down to make dinner. I heard dad come home and come inside. Then I heard a table chair hitting something. I went down and saw a man with long blond hair doing something to my dad; I think he was biting him. My mom was in the corner probably dead. He looked up and I ran up stairs to protect my brother. I hid in the closet. We were redoing the bathroom so there were holes in the wall of our closet. I managed to squeeze through the hole with my brother we got out and came to the old woman's house, don't remember what her name was. She called the police and the guy showed up again and snapped her neck. The police showed and he booked it out of there" I finished

The detectives exchanged looks and went into the other room. They spoke a few words to Aunt Stella, thanked us for our time and left.

The winter months passed in a gray blur. More and more talk of Chief Swan's daughter came up. Aunt Stella invited Charlie for dinner on Friday but he said he had to pick Isabella up from the air port. She was flying in from Phoenix, Arizona.

Monday came and the whole school was buzzing about the arrival of Isabella Swan. I was sitting on Tyler's van when a noisy red truck that looked like it could have been my aunt's car's grandfather. The person shut off the ignition and the truck backfired. Everybody snickered. I looked on with interest, eager to see the new girl.

She got out of her truck and walked around the front. She didn't look like what I expected. Not tan that's for sure, she had porcelain doll like skin, and some girls would kill for that. She had dark brown hair; it looked almost like a really dark auburn. She dressed in sensible clothes.

"Nice ride!" Tyler said as she passed. I pushed him with my elbow and gave him a don't-be-rude-she's-new-give-her-a-break look. Surprisingly she thanked him, I would have said that but in a different wording.

The bell rang for first period and I grabbed my bag and walked to homeroom. The classes passed and lunch rolled around. Tyler rushed past me with Mike following close behind. I came in to see the new girl sitting with Jessica, Angela and Eric. Eric got up and then left. I came over and sat down next to Angela and pulled out my lunch bag

"Kerria how come you always bring a lunch? You can just buy one here you know" Jessica said

"I prefer not to wait in line to get half cooked food. Besides when I pack a lunch I get exactly what I want" I challenged. Jessica seemed to be a bit more snarky since she started hanging out with Laruen more after Christmas.

"Never thought of it that way" The new girl said.

"Oh sorry, I'm Kerria Taylor"

"Bella Swan" she answered.

"Don't worry Bella, I was new too just started here this school year, the pointing goes away after a month or so" I laughed.

The three others smiled. "Who are they?" Bella asked looking behind Angela. I had a pretty good idea of who she was talking about. Angela looked back at the same time Jessica was about to speak.

"The Cullens." Angela answered

"They're uh Dr. and Mrs. Cullen's foster kids. They moved down here from Alaska like a few years ago." Jessica explained

"They kinda keep to them selves" Angela spoke up.

"Yeah they're all together, like together, together. The blonde girl that's Rosalie and the big dark haired guy, Emmett they're like a thing I'm not even sure that's legal."

"Jess they're not actually related"

"Yeah but they live together its weird. Okay so the little dark haired girl is Alice, she's really weird and um she's with Jasper the blonde one who looks like he's in pain. Dr. Cullen is like a foster dad slash matchmaker"

"Maybe he'll adopt me"

"Who's he?" Bella said nodding her head to Edward as he passed.

"That is Edward Cullen. He's totally gorgeous, obviously but apparently nobody here is good enough for him" Jessica spoke quickly. "Like I care ya know, but seriously don't waist your time"

"Wasn't planning on it" Bella said looking down at her food. She glanced over her shoulder to look at the Cullen's table.

I noticed that Edward hadn't shown up at school the few weeks following the arrival of Bella Swan. The week after he came back they began sitting together at lunch. Jessica and Angela made plans to go to Port Angeles to go dress shopping. I wanted to go shopping for some new pants so I asked if I could go along. Bella was going too.

We got to the dress shop and Bella seemed distracted.

"You're not really into this are you?" Angela asked as Bella said their dresses looked awesome for about the billionth time.

"Not really, I just really want to go to this book store" We made arrangements to go to the restaurant a few blocks away. Then Bella left for the book store. A while after Jess and Angela were still trying on dresses when I decided to go to the store down the road and get the pants. I told Jessica and Angela where I was going. I ducked out of the shop and began walking down the street. A silver Volvo drove past me.

I made it to the store got three new pairs of pants and a cute purple tank top. I saw Angela and Jess go by in Jess's car heading to the restaurant. I walked the four blocks to the restaurant and got there just as they were being seated. We waited for half an hour when we decided to eat. We ate dinner, paid and left. As we came out Bella showed up with Edward Cullen.

Edward apologized for keeping Bella waiting. Angela and Jess became excited that Edward Cullen was talking to them. What they didn't see was that he was using subtle charm. I rolled my eyes as they blubbered.

We left Bella and Edward at the restaurant and drove home. Jess and Angela dropped me at my house. I went to bed almost as soon as I walked in the door. That following Monday Bella arrived in Edward's car. Now I became more nervous, she shouldn't be hanging out with one of _them_. She could get seriously hurt.

The more involved Bella became with the Cullens the more I worried for her safety.

Word had come in awhile ago that a security guard down a Grishom Mill died from an animal attack. I doubt that was likely. Now today there is news that Wayland had been killed down at the marina on Friday night. The "animal" was getting closer to town. It could already be here in disguise.

Later that day word spread that Chief Swan found a human foot print when they were tracking the "animal"

Bella and I became good friends during the month of April. I didn't want to tell her what he was because she might not believe me. It would do more harm than good at this point to try to convince her other wise.

In the middle of art I was called down to the office. I entered the main office to see my aunt, Detective Helen and Dr. Cullen standing there. Dr. Cullen turned to ask something to Aunt Stella and Detective Helen. Detective Helen frowned said something and then nodded her head. Aunt Stella did the same. Dr. Cullen walked up to me.

"Do you mind if we talk out side?" He questioned.

I nodded and led the way out of the office. We turned the corner and he stopped me there.

"I have had the chance to examine the bodies after they were found. I could tell you right off the bat that they were not animal attacks, finding the foot print only solidified my suspicions. From what Detective Helen tells me you have had some, experience with people like these"

"How so?" I asked knowing what he would say.

"Well apparently when you were younger your family was killed. The wounds on the bodies looked much like the ones here from what Detective Helen says. The deaths here are also similar to the one up in Bellingham"

"Still how am I able to help? The only thing that I can think of is provide what happened at my house twelve years ago."

"You still can help. I have had the chance to look at the files on your family's came Kerria, the wounds are exactly alike"

"What are you saying?" I asked tentatively.

"I'm saying there is a good chance that whoever it is, is the same person that killed your family"

I laughed, more like scoffed "Maybe you're just covering for one of your little buddies"

Dr. Cullen frowned "What do you mean by that?"

I found my self exploding, telling him that I knew what he was.

**PLEASE R&R :)**


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